Agricultural Experiment Station gets $3.4M from state to expand

The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva will receive $3.4 million in state funding to begin an expansion, state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette, said Tuesday.

The funding will be used to modernize the station’s fruit and vegetable processing pilot plant, part of the New York State Food Venture Center, a release from Nozzolio’s office said.

The Food Venture Center serves 2,500 companies per year, many of which are startup food-processing businesses.

“This funding is a gigantic first step in bringing the food science mission of Cornell into the next century,” Nozzolio said, in a statement. “This mission has been successful in growing food processing jobs throughout New York State, and this funding will give the Experiment Station the tools necessary to continue on the cutting edge of food-processing developments.”